Glass and method of making it.



ERIK W. ENEQUIST, OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

(II ASS AND METHOD OF MAKING- IT.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERIK W. Ennomsr, a citizen of the United States,residmg at Brooklyn in the county of Kings and State -I mean glasswherein the principal alkali is soda, although the invention is notnecessarily confined to this particular character of glass.

This improved method consists 1n addmg to the basic glass batch acertain proportion of lithia and potassa-bearing minerals, such aslepidolite. For instance, to a soda glass batch, wherein the principalalkali is soda, I add a certain roportion of lepidolite or a similarminerail containing lithia and potassa.

Lepidolite is a mineral largely found in 1 California and other parts ofthe country and analyzes approximately as follows:

lithia 5%, potassa 16%, alumina 27%, silica 48% and fluorin 1%, thebalance consisting principally. of mechanically combined water andmanganese free of iron.

The action of the lepidolite and the water contained therein, whichleavesthe mineral at a low red heat, serves to agitate and mix thebatch. The lithia as well as the potassa are strong fluxes and readilytake hold and assist in fusing the sand contained in the batch.

In some cases I may fuse the lepidolite separately or mix it with sodaor lime and other chemicals and then bail out the fused material andafterward add it to the regular batch. p

In practice, to a basic batch, for instance for makin ]3.I'S, bottles,window or plate glass or 0t er inexpensive glass, I add from one to fiveper cent, more or less of lepidolite to the entire weight of the batch,which addition assists infusing the glass and imparts gloss and strengthto the same.

To a basic batch for instance for making crystal or pressed glass wheresoda is the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

Application filed July 20, 1917. Serial No. 181,809.

principal alkali, I add from five to twelve per cent. of lepidolite.

V In other cases, such for instance as the making of opaque ortranslucent or special glasses or glasses containing boracic acid, I addup to fifty per cent. of the lepidolite, but in all instances it isfound that the addi- .tion of lepidolite to the batch verymateriallywimproves the strength, temper and appearance of the glass.

In the making of opal or opaque glasses it is essential thatthe glassbatch fuse at a comparatively low temperature so that the active agent,which causes the opaqueness, silicon fiuorid, Sill}, may be slowly andeil enly generated and retained by the molten ass. g Lepidolite isadmirably suited for the making of such glasses because it causes thebatch to fuse at a low temperature and the high percentage'of aluminacontained causes it to produce glasses of superior mechanical qlillalitysuch as clean cuts or fractures when s eets thereof are cut for tabletops or other purposes. The content of fluorin contained in lepidoliteis so small that it is hardly a factor in the production of an opaque oropal glass.

The term glass as herein used is intended to cover any vitreous body,such as enamel and glaze and such analogous materials, since enamels andglaze are one form of glass .and are ver effectively made by theaddition of lepidollte thereto.

It is understood of course that I do not confine myself to the exactproportions herein specified as such proportions are given as examplesof what has been found to be desirable ones in the manufacture of thisimproved glass.

In the making of jars, bottles, window or plate glass or otherinexpensive glass or for the making of crystal or pressed glass wheresoda is .the principal alkali, the batch to which the lepidolite isadded usually consists of the well known materials, such as sand, sodaand lime in the proportions well known in the art, and in the making ofopaque or translucent or special glasses containin boracic acid, inwhich instance the batch 1s itself largely composed of lepidolite in theproportions hereinbefore referred to,

batches from which glass is usually made glass which 2. The method ofmaking lass which consists in adding from one to fi ty per cent. oflepidolite to a glass batch, and then fusing the batch.

3. The method of making, inexpensive glass, which consists in adding toa glass batch from one to five per cent. of lepidolite, and then fusingthe batch.

4. The method of making or stal or pressed glass, which consists in ad'ng to a glass batch from five to twelve per cent. of lepidolite, andthen fusing the whole batch.

5. The method of which consists in adding to .a glass batch apredetermined quantity of lepidolite, andthen fusing the whole batch..

6. The method of making opaque or translucent or specially formed glassor. glass containing boracic acid, which consists in adding to a glassbatch from one to fifty per cent. of lepidolite, whole batch.

7 The method of making glass which consists in first fusing le idohtewith a glass making ingredient, capa 1c of producing an opaque ortranslucent glass and then adding it to a batch of glass.

8. The method of making glass which anemia consists in fusin le idolitewit making soda glass,

and then fusingthe consists in first fusing 1e idohte with a glassmaking ingredient capa 1e of producing an opaqueor translucent glass,and then adding to a batch of glass a quantlty thereof not exceedingfifty per cent. of the weight of the batch of glass.

9. The method of making lass. which glass producing materia s, t en'balling t e fused glass, and then subsequently adding this fusedmaterial, to a glass batch.

10. The method of manufacturing glass whichfconsists in adding to a sodaglass batch lepidolite, then fusing the batch thereby to produce animproved glass of superior appearance, temper and durability.

11. The method of making glass which consists in first fusing le idolitewith a glass making material and then adding the so fused material to aglass batch.

12. As an article of manufacture, lass having characteristics of fusedlepi olite therein.

13. As an article of manufacture, glass having characteristics of fusedlepidolite therein, and added thereto during the manufacture of suchglass, whereby the strength,

temper and appearance of the glass is ma teriall improved.-

.14. he method of makin glass, which consists in adding to an uni -hsedbatch of glass-making materials the mineral lepidolite, and then fusingthe mixture.

15. The method of making glass, which consists in adding to an unfusedbatch of glass-making materials the mineral lepidolite in a fusedcondition, and then fusing, the mixture.

Signed at 1822 Park-Row building New York city, this 19th day of July,191%.

ERIK W. ENEQUIST.

